Reporting machine



July' 8, 1930. R. J. SPEIR ,77

REPORTING MACHINE Filed July 26, 1928 v 4 Sheets-Sheet. 1

y 1930i R. J. SPEIR 2 REPORTING MACHINE Filed July 26, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mulmmm minim I llllhmm' .lliii 'illll gwuentoz July 8, 1930. R. J. SPEIR REPORTING MACHINE Filed July 26, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 TMefZ/ y 930. R. J. SPEIR 1,770,326

REPORTING MACHINE Filed July 26, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Qwomtov Patented July 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT A OFFICE 1 ROBERT J. SPEIR,OF TAKOMA. PARK, MARYLAND REPORTING MACHINE Application filed July 26,

' 5 means for directlyv recording upon phonovgraphic records the proceedings of such for mal bodies as courts, conventions, legislative bodies, committees, etc.,"of/which s tenographic reports are ordinarily made, and to facili. tate the reproduction of such proceedings from the-phonographie records in the form of written reports. 3 e r Applicant is aware-that by the employment of devices now in'common use the Words actually spoken by the persons actually par:

ticipating in such proceedings'may be transmitted to and recorded upon phonographic records, but, so far 'as applicant is informed, 'no practicable means have been provided whereby the mechanical recording process may be made to perform many essential functions of the reporter in addition to taking down the Words actually spoken, as, for example, the identification for the record of the persons speaking, by noting their names as they rise to speak, and other incidents of the proceeding that the accomplished shorthand reporter is expectedto note in the record, but which at present can only be introto duced into the record throughthe notation thereof by the reporter.

Reportmg functions of this last mentioned order are not now performed by any purely mechanical means; but applicant claims that,

by means of the devices hereinafter described, the supplementary and explanatory matter now supplied by the reporter in the preparation of his record, may be so interpolated and mechanically recorded in the course of the 40 phonographic recording process, as to admit of automatic reproduction at the precise point of interpolation, andvin spch manner as to occasion no inconvenience or confusion. to the graphophone operator or transcriber,

4 so that the main record and the interpolations, the latter consisting of additions, explanations, or side information or directions to the transcriber of any desired character whatsoever, will be reproduced t'othe ear of the transcriber as though it were one con- 1928. Serial No, 295,472.

tinuous, coherent record, comingfrom a single source.

Briefly stated, therefore, the object of the invention is to relieve the reporter of the. necessity of taking down the proceedings in shorthand, that Iunctionbeing performed by the mechanical recording process, and, at the same time, to preserve, by the employment of other mechanical and automatic means, every feature and advantage of a well-axe, cuted stenographic report that is now supplied through the independent action or initaitive of the shorthand reporter.

In the operation of the devices, hereinafter described, the room or hall in which the proceedings to be reported are to take place is equipped with microphones, or other soundreeeiving and transmitting devices, in electrical or other connection with the recorder of a phonographic machine. so that the words spoken are recorded on phonographic records; At a suitable position in the hall or, room, from which all that takes place can vbe observed,ther'e is provided a properly Ventilated, sound-proof cabinet, with trans- '75 parentwalls, within which cabinet is stationed the person who interpolates upon a dietatint, machine the names' of the speakers and any other explanatory matter or directions to thetranscriber that may be essential to a 8 clear and coherent record of the proceedings. This person, to whom we will hereinafter refer as the interpolator, is not only in a. position Where he can see all that transpires in the audience chamber, but, by means of a telephonic connection with the sound-transniitting apparatus employed in connection withv the recording process, he is enabled to hear all that is said, so that, through both sight and hearing, he is fully apprised of all that takes place in the hall or chamber of which a record shouldbe'ma'de. 1

A' leading feature of the-inventionconsists of'an anxiliar'y member paralleling, as it were, the 'main recordingcylinder, and cooperating mechanisms arranged "to make records on said auxiliary inember at points exactly corresponding to the points on the main cylinder at which the successive interpolations are'inadc, and, also, at which each interpolation is completed, while the recording on said maincylinder proceeds without interruption. Said auxiliary member is also designed to cooperate with both reproducing cylinders, advancing with the reproducing diaphragms, and having its rec ords' arranged to control the mechanism for alternately operating the recording and interpolating cylinders, by simultaneously stopping one and starting the other, in such manner as to introduce the successive interpolations into the record at the precise points at which they occurred, thus conveying directly from the reproducing machine to the transcriber of the record a full and intelli: gible verbal report of the entire proceeding,

without aid from any outside source whatsoever.

Thespecifie objects of the invention will be pointed out in the appended description.

The invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, as will bev hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in .which I Figure 1 1s a top plan view of an interpolatin'g machine in a glasscabinet, the walls of the cabinet being shown in section. This machine, in so far as its recording mechanism is concerned, is of ordinary construction, only differing therefrom in the mechanism connecting it with the auxiliary recording device shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of an ordinary recording machine carrying the auxiliary recording device referredto just above, which auxiliary recording device is in operative connection with both the recording machines illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the reproducing machine.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of Figure 3, on

the line H, looking rearwardly;

Figure 5 is a broken section showing a side elevation of one of the tensioning springs employed in connection with the auxiliary recording member. I

Figure 6 is a side elevation of one of the diaphragm-carrier arms of the'reproducing machine illustrated in Figure 3, the dotted lines showing the operative positions of certain parts relatively to said arm.

Figure 7 is a viewpartly in section, on the line 77 of Figure 2, showing the electrical punching device employed in making the auxiliary record.

Figure 8 is a central sectionalview of the same device shown in Figure 7, taken at right angles to the section shown in Figure 7, the roll of paper on which the auxiliary record iliary record.

Figure 10 is a side elevation, partly in seea punching -tion, showing in its mounting one of the shift levers employed to throw the mandrel shafts of the recording cylinders into and out of gear with the rotating mechanism. 1 V

Figure 11 is a sectional View of the air cylinder cooperating with the auxiliary record to shift said shift levers alternately in opposite directions.

Figure 12 is a sectional View on an enlarged scale of the electrical hand-tripping device carriedon the interpolators speaking-tube, and arranged to control the production of the auxiliary record.

Figure 13 is a top plan view of Figure 12, with the lid removed.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the circuit maker and breaker of the electrical handtrip.

Figure 15 illustrates on an enlarged scale one of the similar parallel tracks in which phragm'and carrier arm of the main recording machine illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, said arm having at its rear end means for engaging the auxiliary record.

Referring further to the drawings, the letter A indicates the main recording machine (illustrated in Figure 2), which machine is of ordinary construction,but with the addition thereto of means for making an auxiliary record simultaneously with the main record.

The/letter B indicates the interpolating machine, which is a machine of ordinary construetion, having nothing new about it exceptthe mechanism which it carries inside the hand-trip on the speaking tube, which mechanism is in electrical connection with the auxiliary recording device, carried by the main recording machine A; so that said auxiliary recording device forms a connecting link between machines A and B, with both of which it cooperates.

The letter C (Figure 3) indicates the reproducing machine which takes the records formed on the machines A and B, and reproduces theminto a single continuous and complete record ready to be transcribed.

In starting and stopping the phonographic machine by which the interpolated matter-is recorded, the interpolator employs a speaking tube equipped with an electrical hand-' tripping device of a type now in common use, save that midway between the start and stop electrical contact points there are provided other electrical contact points through means of which an electrical circuit is established throu h electro-magnets that operate dievice, by means of which a strip of paper is perforated every time the interpolating machine starts and every time it stops, said strip of paperbeing in such mechanical adjustment with the carriage of the recording machine that the points of perforation coincide precisely with the respective points of starting and stopping. Said strip of paper isarranged to travel with the carriage of the recording machine while the recording is being done, so that perforations are always spaced from each other a distance exactly proportionate to the length of the interpolation. Hence, this perforated strip of paper forms a connecting link, as it were, between the main record and record of interpolations to be inserted thereinto, and furnishes a record of the length of each interpolation, and of the exact point at which it is to be introduced into the main record; and has, therefore, been termed the auxiliary record, because of the 1 relationship it bears to each of the other records. I

lVhen tl'ie record is to be reproduced on i'naehine C, the main cylinder, the interpolating cylinder and the strip of paper carrying the auxiliary record, are all arranged to move in the same manner relatively'to each other l .as they moved when the record was being made; and the perforations in the strip of paper forming the auxiliary record are now arranged to pass over registering openlngs ]i1f-.'t as the periorat ons in a roll of paper v used in aplayer piano pass over registering openings to play the-piano; and the cooperating mechanism of machine C is such that these openings forming the auxiliary record control the IHOVCTl'lOHtS Of the main cylinder and the interpolating cylinder, alternately rotating them in a way to reproduce from the two cylinders a continuous and complete record, and doing so by, purely mechanical means, th us eluninating the necessity of Insertions into the record of any pencil notations by the reporter preparatory to delivering the same to the transcriber.

Referring to the construction of my device in detail, the numeral 1 indicates the cylinder upon which the main record is made. This cylinder is acted upon by the diaphragm recorder2, which is in operative connection th rough the wires 3, with microphones suit-- ably located in the room or hall where the proceedings to be reported are being condncted; In this way, it will. be seen that the recording machine may be far removed from the place where the proceedings to be reported are taking place. The diaphragm 2 is supported on the carriage 4 which is fed. across the machine in the usual way by means of the threaded shaft The front and rear guideshafts 6 and 7 cooperate with thethreaded shaft 5 to guide the movement ofthe carriage across the machine.

Attention is now called n a very impor- "tantpart of -my invention, namely: the,

auxiliary record 9, preferably located at the rear side of the recording machine A (Figure 2), and connected to the rear end of the car riage arm 4 to travel forwardly therewith iliary record comprises a strip of paper normally carried in a roll 9*, which roll is provided with tensioning springs of ordinary construction, adapted to suitably resist the unrolling of the paper. The outer end of the roll of paper is connected with the carri'age arm 4 at the forward side of the electromagnet operated punch 10, while the roll of paper 9 is just at the rear of said punching device, so that the strip of paper has to pass through the punching device in position to he. acted upon thereby as the carriage of the machine advances in the production ofthe record. lustrated in Figures 7 and 8, from which it will be seen that there are two steel plates This punching device is il- 1.1- and 12, with cutting. openings 13, a slit them to their normal positions as soon as said dores are demagnetized. In order to save ,space, these springs 19 are mounted in openings 20 in the top plate. of the machine.

The electro -magnetic punching device 10 is connected with the'hand-trip 21 of the speaking tube 22 of the interpolating ma-- chine B (Figure 1), bytwo sets of conducting wires 23 and 24a set for each elect-romagnet-providing means foroperating each'one independently of the other, so as to form the two rows of perforations 17 and '18 in the strip of paper 9. which forms the auxiliary record. The hand-trip 21 has an inverted T-bar 25 (Figures 12 and 14), pivoted at its upper end to the lid of thehand-trip. with the two ends of its depending-T-head 25 arranged to travel in parallel guideways 26, formed in the opposite faces of guide-blocks 27, and 28, which are located opposite each other on the sides of the hand-trip, and spaced apart a snflicient distance to permit the main stem of the T-bar to freely pass between them.

Each of these guideways has a downward track 26? and an upward track 26", along which the ends 25 of'the inverted T-bar al- At theircxtreme upper 25' of the T-bar. Each of the guideways 26 and 26", .in one of the guide-blocks 27 or 28, is provided with a pair of electrical contact points 23 and 24 respectively, between which the ends 25 of the inverted T-bar pass, thereby setting up a momentary electrical connection between said contact points,

' which, through the conducting wires 23 and 24 (Figures 1 and 2), are in circuit with the batteries 29 and 30 and the electro-magnets 16 and 16 which operate the punches 15 to form the two separate rows of perforations 17 and 18 in the strip of paper 9, which perforated strip of paper forms the auxiliary record. The stop-ends 26 and 26 of one of the guideways are each provided with a set of electrical contact points 31 and 32, re-

spcctively. between which the ends 25 of the. I inverted T-bar come to rest, thus setting 34, which have their free ends 3 1 and 34*" 7 extending nearly across said guideways, so that when the ends 25" of the-inverted T-bar pass said spring ends 34 and 3-1", said ends spring back and fill the passageway, so as to render a backward movement of the T-bar of simplicity of construction, both records impossible. t I,

The guideways 26 in only one of the blocks 27 and 28 are provided with electrical con tact sets 23* and 24?. because only two sets of contacts are needed when there are only two elcctro-magnets' 16 and 16 to be operatedby such contacts. However, if so desired, the set of electrical contacts 23 may be in the downward guideway of one of the guide-blocks 27 and 28, and'the set of contacts 24* may be in the upward guideway of the other block: and the same is true of the contacts 31 and 32, at the extreme end of the guideways, but the guideways in both blocks must be provided with the springs 33 and 34 to insure against any backward move ment of either end 25". of the T-head.

The hand-trip 21 is provided with a leaf spring 35, which exerts an outward pressure on the lid of said trip, and'thus nor-- mally holds the inverted T-bar head at the upper end of the guideways 26 in engagement with the electrical contacts 31.

The paper clamp for gripping the end of the strip of paper 9 is illustrated-in Figures 2 and 16 of the drawings, from which it will be seen that the outwardly-turned provided for the reception of the end of the.

strip of paper 9 between said plate and said outwardly-turned end of the carriage; and

when the screw is screwed inagain the paper will be securely gripped between two flat surfaces without danger of marring the paper. The pintles 37 project up through the plate 39 and hold the same against rotation on its support 36; and the thumb screw 40 forms a stop for the end of the paper 9 when thesame is inserted between the two awe of the clamp, so that the paper can always be inserted in exactly the sameposition relatively to the jaws of the clamp; and so that when the paper is engaged by another similar clamp for another purpose, as will be presently shown, the paper will be engaged in exactly the same position relatively to that clamp thatit now occupies relatively to this one.

A. topplan view of my automatic reproducing device is shown'in Figure 3. The construction of this machine is in many respects similar to the ordinary phonographic machines, except that it is doubledin order to carry two records at once, and, for the sake nary. way byany suitable motor, and is rigidly secured to the shaft 42, which is rotatably mounted in the posts 44 and 45. a

Two driving gears 46 and .47 are loosely mounted on-the drive-shaft 42, on opposite sides of the central drive wheel 43, and mesh respectively with the pinions 48 and 459, on respective threaded shafts 50 and 51. These threaded shafts are located at the rear side of the main cylinder 1 and the interpolating cylinder 52, respectively, and-are in alinement with each other, and are rotatably mounted, at their respective outer ends in the respective end posts 53 and 54, and at their respective inner ends in the respective end posts 55 and 56. The threaded shafts 50 and 51 govern the movements of the arms 57 and 58, which carry the reproducing diaphragms 59 and 60, respectively, which are employed for reproducing the records on the main cylinder 1 and the interpolating cylinder 52, which have now been removed from machines A and B (Figures 1 and 2), respectively, and placed on this machine for reproduction in proper sequence to form one continuous and complete record. In order that the arms 57 and 58 may have a true and steady guided movement on the vmachine, guide shafts 61 and 62 are provided to cooperate with the threaded shafts 50 and 51 to that end.

The threaded shafts 50 and 51, while governing the movements of the arms 57 and 58, as just set forth, also govern the movements of the auxiliary record 9, which was formed on machine A (Fig. 2) simultaneously with the main record. 7 Thus, we have transferred to the reproducing machine'illustrated in Figure 3 the main record 1, the interpolating record 52, and the auxiliary record 9, all arranged to be acted upon in a different way fromthe way they were acted upon in connection with the machines A and B, but all cooperating harmoniously together in a manner corresponding exactly to the manner in which they were previously acted upon, with the auxiliary record 9 forming the connecting link, as it were, between the main rec- 0rd and the interpolating record. In this reproducing machine, the auxiliary record performs a difierent function from that which it performed in machine B, for here it is-arranged to automatically control the movements of the main record and the interpolating' record, and, hence,.when it is spoken of in this capacity, it will be designated as the master record to distinguishit from its use in the other capacity, in which it will still 1 be referred to in the description and claims as the auxiliary record, although it is the same piece of mechanism all the time, except that it is in process of making at the time we call it the auxiliary record, while it has been finished, and is now' serving the purpose for which it was made, at the time we refer to it as the master record.

Referring now to the specific means by which the feed shafts 50-and 51 also control the movements of the master' record 9, it will be seen from Figure 4 of'the drawings that there is aguide shaft 63 located immediately under the guide'shaft 62, and that carried on these two shafts is an L-shaped carriage 64 (shown in side elevation in Figure 9), ha vingits lower outward extension formed into a paper clamp 65, exactly similar to the paper clamp the parts of which have already bccn referred to in detail by the numerals 36 to 41. That is to say, the paper clam s illustrated in connection with machines and C (Figures 2 and '3) are duplicated, so that the latter will hold the paper in exactly the same relative position in which it was held by the former. The .L-shaped carria e 64 has bores66 and 67 of a size to snug y. receive the guide rods 62 and 63, uponwhich it glides. Inasmuch as these guide bars 62 and are held in a vertical plane by the standards 53 and 54, in which all the guide bars are mounted, the lower paper-clamping end of the bar is held in a true horizontal position, preferably just far enough above the top cover 68 of the machine to easily clear said cover as the carriage moves back and forth on the guide rods 62 and 63.

The-L-shaped carriage 64 also has a lower bore 69, into which is received and rigidly securedthe forward end of a ratchet bar 70, which, for purposes of economy of construction, is also made round'like the guide bars 62 and 63. This bar, at its rear left end, passes easily through an opening 71 in the standard 54, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4. This ratchet bar approximately the same length as the guide bars 62 and 63, so that when the L-shaped carriage 64 is drawn backward to its initial position which is approximately opposite the left end (which is the initial end) of the main cylinder 1, said bar will project beyond the standard 54 about the length of the cylinder 1.

The left end of the ratchet bar 70 is revided with a series of rearwardly incllned ratchet teeth 7 O, and the left end of the guide bar 63 is provided on its top side with a series of forwardly inclined ratchet teeth 63. A-

upper broad branch 57 a and a lower narrow branch 57. The corresponding branches of the arm 58 being exactly similar, they are not illustrated in side elevation, but are indicated in section in Figure 4 by the indicating characters 58 and 58, as are also the branches 57 and 57 Fi ure 6'shows the branch 57 providcdwith a ore for the guide bar 62 to passthrough. In this figure .the relative positions of the guide bar 63 and the ratchet bar 70 are indicated. in dotted lines, from which it is seen that the lower branch 57' projects between the bars 63 and 7 0, so that the L-shaped carriage 64 is in the path of the arms 57 and 57 b when the arm 57 is moved forwardly on the guide bars 62 and 63 by the threaded feed bar 50. The same is true of the arm 58 relative to theratchet block 72 and the threaded feed bar 51. i The carriage arms 57 and 58 are provided with the usual means employed in machines of this. character for quick manual engagement and disengagement with the threaded drive bars 50 and 51, respectively. The drawings indicate two threaded blocks 76 and 77 (Figure. 3) used in this connection; and Figure 6 indicates an operating lever 78 employed for operating the threaded block 76.

In Figures 3, 4 and 5, the roll of'paper 9*, formlng the master record, is shown provided with a tensioning device consisting of a 80 are provided in the top cover 68 of the machine for the reception of these springs. In Figures 3 and 4, I have shown each spring provided at its outer end with two screws 81 and 82, the screw 82 being a tensioning screw. Of course, these rolls may be provided with ordinary tensioning devices, such as are used with the music rolls of player pianos, but the method here shown has the advantage of giving a practically even tension on the roll all the time, and is adjustable to any degree of tension required or desired. Between the paper clamp 65 and the paper roll 9 is a rounded projection or block 83 for pressing upwardly against the taut strip of paper 9 to hold the strip of paper always in close engagement with the face of said block, which, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 and in full lines in Figure 11, 'is providedwith two openings 84 and 85 adapted to register with the two rows of openings 86 and 87, respectively, in the strip of paper 9 as it advances over the block 83. These openings 84 and 85 lead down through the top of the machine into a vacuum chamber of any desired construction, but shown in Figure 11 as a cylinder 88, having at the center of its lower side a pipe or tube 89, leading out therefrom to a suction fan or pump 90 for exhausting the air from the cylinder. The cylinder has a piston 91 mounted to reciprocate therein between stops 92, at one end of the piston, and 93 at the other end, these stops being between the inlet ends of the openings 84 and 85 leading into the cylinder. The piston 91 has a piston rod 94, which has a connecting rod 95 adapted for communicating the reciprocating movements of the piston to a crank-arm 96 (shown in dotted lines in Figure 3) of the clutchshifting lever 97, which controls the ratchet clutch 98 that throws the mandrel 99 of the main cylinder 1 into and outof gear with the rotating drive-shaft 42. The clutch-lever 97 (as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 has a crank-arm 100, which, through mm 101 is connected with the crank-arm 102 of a similar clutch-lever 103 controlling the clutch 104, which latter clutch, in turn, connects and disconnects the mandrel 105 of the interpolating cylinder 52 with the main drive-shaft 42 i In Figure 10 of the drawings, I have showna side elevation of the clutch-lever 103, which is suitably mounted on' the machine in a cylindrical bearing 106, and the cooperating clutch-lever 97 is mounted in a similar bearing 107.

From the construction shown, it will be seen that the two connected clutch-levers 97 and 103 are operated simultaneously, and that they are so disposed relatively to each other that when either one of the clutches is thrown in gear with the main drive-shaft 4 2, the other clutch is simultaneously thrown out of gear therewith; so that one or the other ,of the reproducing cylinders will always be in rotation, but only one at a time.

The connecting rod 101 has at one end an extension 101 by which it is connected with the piston rod 108 of an air cylinder 109 of ordinary construction, such as is commonly employed in machines of this character in connection with a foot-tripping device (not here shown). This latter form of construction provides a means for manually controlling the clutch-levers 97 and 103 independently of the piston 91, whenever such independent control is found desirable. However, since the piston 91 is automatically controlled by the master record '9, it is believed that under ordinary conditions other means of controlling the'clutch-levers will not be required, the operator being at all times free to set back the reproducer diaphragms in order to have matter indistinctly heard repeated. It should be noted that such setting back of the reproducer diaphragms would not involve any sort of interference with the operation of the automatic means of control herein set forth.

The diaphragms 59 and 60 are connected together by a tube 110, which has a central branch 111, and is provided at its outer end with ear-pieces 112.

The operation of my device is as follows: The main recording machine A (Figure 2)- has its recording diaphragm 2 in communication with microphones in'the room where the proceeding to be reported is being conducted, the microphones being connected with said diaphragm by any suitable method, as, for instance, by the wires 3. As the diaphragm-recorder 2 is fed horizontally across the recordcylinder 1, in producing the record, the strip of paper 9 on which the auxiliary record'is formed, moves simultaneously along parallel with the diaphragm, both being advanced by the carriage-arm 4. The interpolating machine B (Figure 1) is enclosed in a glass case 113, ,so located that the interpolator who is seated therein can see everything that is going on in the place where the proceedings are being conducted, but made so sound-proof that the matter dictated by him on the cylinder 52, by Way of instructions to the transcriber or of matter to be interpolated into the record being made on cylinder 1 of the other machine, will not be heard in the room, and will not in any way disturb the persons engaged in the proceeding, which goes steadily on and is being recorded on the cylinder 1, just as if the interpolating machine B did not exist and the interpolated matter were being taken down or noted in shorthand. The lid spring 35 (Figure 12) normally holds the lid elevated with the cross-head 25", at the lower end of the inverted T-bar, drawn up into the extreme upper end of the guideways 26, where'said cross-head forms an electrical connection between the two contacts 31, from which, the wires 31 and 31 lead inthe usual Way to an electro-magnet which controls the clutch-lever 114, and operates the same in such manner as to hold the ratchet-clutch 115 out of engagement with the driving mechanism of the machine (in the position shown inFigure 1), when the lid of the hand-trip is not pressed down. This electro-magnct and its connections are not shown because they are of ordinary construction and operation, such as are commonly employed in machines of this character.

When the interpolator wishes to record an interpolation, he picks up the speaking tube 22 and presses the lid of the hand-trip 21 inwardly against the action of the spring 35. This causes the cross-head 25 of the inverted T-bar to travel down the guideway 26 toward. the lower end of the guideways 26, and, as it does so, it forms a momentary electrical contact or connection with the spring contacts 116, from which the wires 23 lead out to the clectro-magnet 16, which operates one of the electrical punches 15 to form the perforation 17 in the strip of paper 9, the position of which perforation on said strip of paper will correspond exactly to the point on the cylinder 1 where the interpolated matter should be inserted into the record. aAn instant later, when the cross-head 5 reaches the extreme lower end of the guideways 26, electrical connection is established between the contacts 32, from which the wires 32 and 32 lead to an electro-magnet (also, notshown), which in the ordinary way, above set forth, operates the clutch-lever 114 in such manner as to throw the clutch 115 into engagement with the driving mechanism and thereby start the machine. When the machine is started in the manner described, the reporter or interpolator dictates the interpolated matterthrough the speaking-tube and the same is duly recorded on the cylinder 52. Now, as the cross-head 25 moved down the descending guideway 26 it passed the free end 34 of the spring 34, which sprang back to its normal position, closing the passageway 26 against an upward return movement therein of said cross-head. When the. interpolator has finished dictating his interpolated matter, and lays down the speakingtube, he releases the handtrip 21, and, as the cross-head-25 beingguided by the spring 341*, is drawn'upwardlyv in the guideway 26", it passes between the spring contacts 117,. and, by setting up a momentary electrical connection through said contacts and the conductor wires 24 with the electro-magnet 16 (Figure 2), the electric punch 15 is operated by said electro-magnet in such m'anner'as to produce the perforation 18 in the strip of paper 9.

Hence, it will be seen that when the dictation of the interpolated matter is begun, or an instant before it is begun, the perforation 17 1s. punched, and an instant after the dictation vImmediately following this operation, the

cross-head 25 will have reached the extreme upper end 26 of the guideways, and will come to rest'in engagement with-the contacts 31, by means of which, through the wires 31 and 31 the clutch 115 will be opened in the manner already described and thus bring to a stop the rotation of the cylinder upon which the interpolated matter is recorded.

The next step in the process involves the reproduction of the matter recorded upon the cylinders 1 and 52 in such manner as to combine the two into a single consecutive report of the proceedings, the same coming from the reproducing machine in'the exact form in which the record is to be transcribed, or in the form in which the reporter or interpolator may direct it to be transcribed. This operation is performed by machine 0 (Figure 3) in the following manner: The cylinders 1 and 52, containing the record, are placed on the mandrels 99 and 105, respectively, and the reproducing diaphragms 59 and 60 are placed at the initial endsi. e. the left ends-of the record-cylinders,

and the auxiliary record 9 is located on the machine, and in operative adjustment thereto, in exactly the same posit-ion relatively to the main cylinder 1 that it occupied relatively thereto on the recording machine A; and the openings 84 and 85 (indicated in dotted lines) leading down into the vacuum chamber 88, are also in exactly the'same position relative to cylinder 1 as were the el'ectro-magnets 16 and, 16 which operated the punches that made the perforations 17 anti 18 in the auxiliary record, .and which are here shown asforming two rows (86 and 87 of perforae tions in the strip of paper 9, which has now become the master record or control record. By means which have been described, the ratchet-clutch 98 which controls the-rotation of the cylinder 1 is normally held in operative position, and the clutch 104 which con-. trols the, interpolating cylinder 52 in inoperative position. X With the listening tubes 112 adjusted. to his ears, the transcriber starts the machine, which at once begins to reproduce the record on cylinder 1. As the diadiaphragm 59. When'the point is reached on cylinder 1 where the first interpolation is .to be inserted in the recordi. e., at the point on -the record where the recording diaphragm had advanced to when the first interpolation was recorded on the cylinder 52- the perforation 17, 'atthe beginning of the row. 86 ofperforations in the master. record 9, will have come into registration with the opening 84, thereby uncovering said open-, 5

ing, which leads down into the rightend of the cylinder 88 behind the piston 91 (see Figure 11) and, since there is a vacuum in the left end of said cylinder, caused by the exhaust fan 90 connected with the pipe 89 which leads into the lower side of said cylinder, the uncovering of the opening 84 leading down into the right end of the cylinder will permit air to rush down thereinto, be-

hind the piston 91, thereby thrusting the pisrod 101 and the clutch lever 103, the clutch 104 will be thrown into gear, thereby simultaneously stoppingthe rotation of the cylinder 1 and starting the cylinder 52, so as to reproduce to the ear of the transcriber the interpolated matter-on cylinder 52.

From the construction already described, it will be seen that the carriage arms 57 and ,58 operate simultaneously with their respective cylinders, and that they are fed forwardly, each upon its own cylinder, when said cylinder is rotated.

Now, while cylinder 1 was being rotated, the carriage arm 57 was advancing the L-shaped bar 64, and, through it, the master record '9, and, also, the ratchet bar 70 (see Figure 4), which is rigidly secured to said L-shaped bar; but, when the cylinder 1 and the arm 57 stopped, and the arm 58 began to advance, as the interpolating cylinder began to rotate, said arm 58, through the ratchet block 72 with its ratchet 73, began to advance the rod 70, and, through it and the L-shaped bar 64, the master record 9, so that just at the end of the interpolation, the perforation 18 has been brought into registration with the opening 85 of the block 83, which permits air to rush down into the left end of the cylinder 88 (Figure 11), shooting the piston outwardly, and, through the connections already described, disengaging the clutch 104 from its drive wheel 47, and, simultaneously therewith, again starting the drive wheel 46 and the cylinder 1, and taking up the main record again at precisely the point where it was interrupted.

Presently the carriage arm 57 will overtake the L-shaped arm 64 and go on advancing the master record 9 across the block 83 until the next succeeding perforation 17 of V the lower row (86) of perforations is brought intoregistration with the opening 84 of the block 83, thus again admitting air into the right end of the cylinder 88 (Figure 11), and repeating the operation set forth above.

It will be noted that the longitudinal distance between each pair of upper and lower cperforations in the two parallel rows 86 and 87 of perforations is always exactly equal to the longitudinal extent, on the appropriate cylinder, of the part of the record referred to, so that the arm 57 will always overtake the L-shaped bar 64 before the point on the main record is reached where another interpolation is to be inserted into said record.

The ratchet teeth 7 0 on the ratchet bar 7 0 are inclined backwardly, so that the ratchet 73 will not interfere with the forward movement of the bar 70, when the L-shaped bar is advanced by the movement of the carriage bar 57. c

The ratchet teeth '63? are inclined for- Wardly, so that the ratchet block '7 2 cannot be accidentally moved backwardly, but will always be held to the point to which it has been advanced by an interpolation, and will be a true gauge as to the relative position of the termination of the last interpolation into the record being made upon the main' cyl- .inder.

alternately operate said parts of the unitary record by operating one and stopping the other,-and vice versa.

2. In a device of the character described, a pair of records each containing alternate parts of a complete record to be reproduced, and means for alternately operating said records to reproduce said parts in their consecutive order.

3. In a device of the character described, means'for simultaneously producing a plurality of records containing the parts of a composite record to' be reproduced therefrom, and means for reproducing said parts in their order.

4. In a device of the character described, a member containing a record to be reported, a second member containing interpolations to be inserted in said record, and a third member for indicating the relative points in the record where the interpolations occur and are to be inserted. I 4

5. In a device of the character described, a pair of records for the alternate parts of a complete proceeding to be reported, and an auxiliary record for indicating the relative points at which the consecutive parts of the proceeding shift from one record to the other.

6. In a dew ice of the character described, a record forming a connected portion of a proceeding to be reported; another record composed of disconnected parts to be successively inserted into the matter contained in said first named record when the same is remanding a view of the place wherethe proceedings are being conducted, said transparent chamber having room therein for the interpolator, and a cylinder on the recording machine located therein for the recording of interpolations to be inserted into the matter recorded on the main cylinder when the same is reproduced for the'transcriber of the record; an auxiliary recording member in operative relatlon to the main cyllnder and lo cated inside said transparentchamber, and

means for forming a record on said auxiliary member indicating the relative points in the main record at which the interpolations are to be inserted into the report.

8. In a device of the character described, a machine having a main cylinder for recording proceedings to be reported, and another recording machine having a cylinder for recording interpolations to be inserted into the matter recorded on the main cylinder When the same'is reproduced for the transcriber of the record; an auxiliary recording member in operative relation to both of said recordin machines; mechanism for forming a record on said auxiliary member indicating the relative points in the main record at which the interpolations are to be inserted in the report for the transcriber of the record, andmeans for automatically operating said auxiliaryrecording mechanism when the other recording devices are operated.

9. In a device of the character described, a main cylinder containing a record of the matter reported and to be reproduced; another cylinder containing interpolations to be. inserted in the matter recorded on the main cylinder when the same is reproduced to form a complete record for the reporter; an auxiliary recording member ,for indicating the relative points in the complete record where the interpolations occur; a punching device; said auxiliary member comprising a strip of paper moving in unison with the main recording diaphragm and passing through said punching device and being provided with perforations thereby, said interpolating machine being provided with means for operating said punching device wheneverthe interpolating machine is operated.

10. In a device of the character described, a main cylinder containing a record of the matter reported and to be reproduced; another cylinder containing interpolations to be inserted in the matter recorded on the main cylinder when the same is reproduced to form a complete record for the reporter; an auxiliary recording member for indicating the relative points in the complete record where the interpolations occur; a punching device having s aced punches; said auxiliary member comprising a strip of paper moving. in unison with the main recording diaphragm in a direction at right angles to a line extending from one punch to the other, and passing through said punching device, whereby to formtransversely spaced perforations in said strip of paper; said interpolating machine bein provided with means for operating one 0 said spaced punches every time the interpolating machine starts, and the other of said punches every time it stops, whereby to form a perforation in the strip polation and another at the ending of every .interpolation, said pairs of perforations being transversely spaced from each other, and

spaced rows of perforations, extending longitudinally of the strip of paper.

11. In devices of the character described, a main cylinder, and another cylinder containing interpolations to be inserted in the matter recorded on the main cylinder; an auxiliary record, formed simultaneously with the other records, for indicating the relative points at which the interpolations are to be inserted in the matter contained on the main cylinder a machine for reproducing the main record with the interpolations incorporated thereinto, the main record and the interpolating record having their reproducing diaphragms arranged to operate in the same positions relatively to their respective cylinders, and in the same sequence relatively to each other, as did the respective recording diaphr mswhen the records were being made; t e initial position of the auxiliary record relatively to the main record being the same as when the records were being made, said auxiliaryrecord being arranged to be alternately advanced with the reproducing diaphragms of the other records; said reproducing machine having automatic mechanism controlled'by the auxiliary memher for reproducing the successive o erations of the main recording devices and t e auxiliary recording devices; in the same order in which they occurred when the records'w'ere being made, whereby tofurnish a complete record of the proceeding ready for the transcriber.

. 90 of paper at the beginning of every inter- 12. In devices of the character described, the combination with a main record and another record containing interpolations to be inserted into the main record; of'a master record comprising a strip of paper having a section of the'same length as the main cylinder, and with perforations in said section at connecting and disconnecting the cylinders containing the record with the driving mechanism, said pneumatic mechanism having airexhausting means, including a vacuum chamber with openings leading thereinto from underneath said strip of paper, whereby the strip of paper normally closes the openings, said perforations in the strip of paper being arranged to come into registration with said inlet openings as the strip of paper advances along with the reproducing diaphragms, whereby to permit air to enter into said inlet openings to operate the pneumatic mechanism at the points where the perforations occur in the auxiliary record.

13. In a device of the character described, a 'main record and another record containing interpolations tobe inserted into the matter forming the main record; and a master record having means for indicating the relative points atwhich the interpolations are to be incorporated into the matter contained in the main record; mechanism controlled by the master record for alternately operating said cylinders to reproduce the records thereon in consecutive order, whereby to give a complete record for the transcriber.

14. In devices of the character described, a main cylinder and another cylinder contaming interpolations to be inserted in the matter recorded on the main cylinder; an auxiliary record formed simultaneously with the other records for indicating the relative points at which the interpolations are to be inserted in the matter contained on the main cyl nder; a machine for reproducing the main record with the interpolations incorporated thereinto, the main record and the nterpolating records having their reproducmg diaphragms arranged to operate in the same pos1t1on relatively, to their respective cylmders, and in the same sequence relatively to each other, as did the respective recording diaphragms when the records were being made; the initial position of the auxiliary record relatively to the main record-being the same as when the records were being made, said auxlliar record being arranged to be alternately a vanced with the reproducing diaphragms of the other records; driv ng mechanism for the machine; pneumatic means for alternately connecting and disconnecting the cylinders containing the record with the driving mechanism; said pneumatic mechanism comprising a cylinder with means forexhausting the air therefrom, and having an inlet at each end of the cylinder leading downwardly thereinto, said inlets opening underneath said strip of paper forming the auxiliary record at points occupying the same relative position in the reproducing machine that the punches occupied in the recording machine, whereby said transversely spaced perforations in said strip of paper come alternately into registration with said openings leading down into the ends of the vacuum cylinder, thereby alternately uncovering said openings, and admitting air to pass down first into one end of the vacuum cylinder and then into the other end, to move the piston in said cylinder back and forth as the strip of paper is advanced along with the reproducing diaphragms, said piston having operative connection with clutch mechanism for alternately connecting and disconnecting the main cylinder and the interpolating cylinder with the driving mechanism of the machine, whereby to reproduce the main record and the interpolations in their consecutive order to form a complete record for the transcriber.

15. In a; device of the character described, the combination with a recording cylinder, of driving means therefor; and mechanism for throwing the cylinder into operative engagement with the driving means, said mechanism requiring one operation of the same to throw the cylinder into operative engagement with the driving mechanism; and means between the beginning and the ending of said operation for making a record of-the relative point in the record, at which the operation occurred.

16. In a device of the character described, the combination with a recording cylinder, of driving. means therefor; mechanism for throwing the cylinder into operative engagement with the driving mechanism; said mechanism requiring one operation of the same to throw the cylinder into engagement with the driving mechanism, and another to throw it out of engagement therewith; and means between the beginning and the ending of each of said operations for making a record of the relative point in the record at which each of said starting and stopping operations occurred.

17. In a device of the character described, a record composed of a plurality of parts; an auxiliary record for indicating the relative points in the record where each ofsaid parts occurs; driving mechanism for the machine; mechanism requiring one operation of the same to throw the recording cylinder into engagement with the driving mechanism; and another operation to throw it out of engagement therewith and means between the beginning and ending of each operation for momentarily operating on the auxiliary record, to make a record of the relative point in the cylinder at which each operation occurred.

18. In a device of the character described, a cylinder for a record composed of different ,parts; a recording diaphragm for traveling along the cylinder to make the record thereon; an auxiliary member traveling with the recording diaphragm; and manually controlled means for indicating on said auxiliary .member the relative points thereon at which each part of the record occurs on the cylinder.

19. In a device of the character described, ,a record containing matter to be reproduced; another record containing matter to be interpolated into said first named record. in order to form a complete record; and means for alternately operating said records to reproduce said parts'in their consecutive order.

20. In a device of the character described, a record containing matter to be reproduced; another record containing inserts to be successively introducedinto said first named rec 0rd to form a complete record; and means reproduced; a second member containing where the inserted matter occursmatter to be inserted into said first named rec 0rd; and a third member for indicating the relative position in the last-named record 23. In a device of the character described, a member containing a record of matter to be reproduced; a second member containing insertions to be successively introduced into said first-named record and a third member for indicating the relative positions on each of said other members where the insertions occur. I I

2 1. In a device of the character described, a member-contaming a record-to be reproduced; a second member containing additional matter to be reproduced along .with

said record; and a third member having punched-out portions for indicating the relative points in the record where the additional parts are to be introduced.

25. In a device of the character described,

a member containing matter to be reproduced; a second member containing additional matter to be reproduced along with said first-named matter; and a third member having punched-out portions for indicating the relative position of the different parts of each of said first and second members.

26. In a device of the character described, a record containing matter into which interpolations are to be made to fill up gaps therein; another record containing the matter to be interpolated into said first-named record to fill up said gaps in order to make a complete record; and an auxiliary record arranged for coordinating the reproduction of the two first-named records, said coordinating record having punched-out portions of the same, the orifices produced by such punching-out process corresponding in relative position to'the parts of the record to be interpolated, and to the parts of the record in which the interpolations are to be made.

27. In a deviceof the character described, means for simultaneously producing a plurality of records containingthe parts of a complete record to be reproduced therefrom; and means for alternately reproducing said parts in a predetermined order. s

28. In a deviceof the character described, a pairof records each containing the alternate parts of a complete record to be reproduced therefrom; and means for reproduc- 1ng sald parts 1n their C'OIISGCIltlVG order, sald -means including mechanism for suddenly arresting the motion of one record and starting the other at each shift, from one record to thev other, of the subject matter of the complete record.

29. In a device of the character described, a plurality of records for the alternate parts of a complete record to be reproduced therefrom; and an auxiliary record for indicating at sight the relative points in the records at which the consecutive parts of the complete record shift from one record-to another.

30; In a device of the character described, a plurality of records each containing parts said records to reproduce said parts 1n a predetermined order; and an auxiliary record for indicating the relative position in the records whereeach part occurs,- the beginv ning of said auxiliary record being in view when the reproduction of the records begins,

"and the succeeding part progressively coming into view and remaining in view as the reproduction of the record proceeds to completion, whereby the part of the auxiliary record referring to the reproduced parts of the complete record may be viewed in its entirety during the entire reproduction of the,

records.

31. In a device of the character described, means for producing a record having a plurality of parts; and means for producing si- 'multaneously therewith an auxiliary record for indicating the relative points in the rec- 0rd where each of said parts occurs; means cooperating with said auxiliary record for reproducing said parts in a-predetermined,

i of a complete record; means'for operating order, the part of the auxiliary record progressively,referrin to the produced part of the record as it is %eing formed, and to the reproduced part as reproduction of the record proceeds, being in complete View during both of said operations.

32. In a device of the character described a record to be reproduced; a second record 0% additional inatter in'separate parts to be reproduced along with the parts of said first named record to form a complete record; and means for coordinating the reproduction of the parts of said records, said coordinating means including a member having punchedout portions. I

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

ROBERT J. SPEIR. 

